Lightweight projectile resistant armor system with surface enhancement

Abstract

An armor system with a lightweight armored panel manufactured as a multi-material structure having a multiple of layers including a hard ballistic material layer of a Ceramic / CMC (Ceramic Matrix Composite) hybrid armor material capable of defeating ballistic threats. The monolithic ceramic layer includes a surface enhancement to the expected projectile impact face of a minimal weight yet which provides significant ballistic performance improvement.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present application is a Continuation-In-Part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 627,491, filed Jan. 26, 2007 (which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 794,276, filed Apr. 20, 2006) and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 682,390, filed Mar. 6, 2007 (which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 794,276, filed Apr. 20, 2006).[0002]The present invention relates to an armor system, and more particularly to an armor system having a multiple of layers including a hard ballistic material layer made of a Ceramic / CMC hybrid armor material with a surface enhancement.[0003]A variety of configurations of projectile-resistant armor are known. Some are used on vehicles while others are specifically intended to protect an individual. Some materials or material combinations have proven useful for both applications.[0004]Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a lightweight armor system usab...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005]The armor system according to the present invention provides a hard ballistic material layer that includes a Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC) layer bonded to a monolithic ceramic layer having a surface enhancement to form what is referred to herein as a Ceramic / CMC hybrid layer. The CMC layer(s) are continuously bonded to the monolithic ceramic layer. The high modulus CMC layer(s) allows the compressive stress wave from a projectile impact to easily move from the monolithic ceramic layer through to the CMC layer(s) thereby effectively increasing the armor protection. Optional front face CMC layer(s) confine the monolithic ceramic layer and focuses the ejected plume of ceramic material pulverized by the projectile impact directly back at the projectile. Back face CMC layer(s) reinforces the back surface of the monolithic ceramic layer where the compressive stress wave reflects as a tensile stress wave. The CMC layer(s) further facilitates energy absorption from projectile impact through fiber debonding and pullout, as well as shear failure.

[0006]The surface enhancement includes various coatings or surface modifications to an expected projectile impact surface of the monolithic ceramic layer including super finishing, Diamond-Like-Carbon (DLC) coating and combinations thereof. A DLC surface enhancement between 1-15 microns thick added essentially no detectable weight to a 6″ by 6″ tile of the hard ballistic material layer yet provides significant ballistic performance improvement. As the surface enhancement is very hard, the ballistic performance is improved when a hardened steel penetrator strikes the surface enhancement since the surface enhancement is harder than the penetrator. The penetrator tip is caused to decelerate more rapidly than the trailing end of the bullet such that penetrator is damaged and blunted. The surface enhancement also increases the residual compressive stress to the monolithic ceramic layer near the surface such that the compressive stress increases the hardness of the ceramic.

[0007]The present invention therefore provides a lightweight armor system usable for a multiple of applications.

Problems solved by technology

The penetrator tip is caused to decelerate more rapidly than the trailing end of the bullet such that penetrator is damaged and blunted.

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